A. Creation: Indra got heavy Daṇḍas made (kārayām āsa…gurudaṃḍāṁś ca puṣkatān), and other heavenly missiles (like vajrāṇi and cakrāṇi) out of the bones of the sage Dadhīca 9. 50. 30; Śiva is called the creator of the Brahmadaṇḍa (brahmadaṇḍavinirmātā) 13. 17. 130.

B. Associations:

(1) It was looked upon as a weapon specially of Yama (cf. the expression Yamadaṇḍa in section

C. below); hence Yama called ‘holding daṇḍa in hand’ (daṇḍapāṇi) 3. 12. 46; 3. 42. 10; (daṇḍahasta) 8. 29. 28 (Vaivasvata); (daṇḍadhāra) 3. 40. 38; or ‘equipped with Daṇḍa’ (daṇḍin) 1. 180. 16; it was Yama who gave his irresistible (aprativāraṇa) Daṇḍa to Arjuna with proper rites (vidhivat), together with the mantras (samantram), and instruction regarding its full operation (sopacāram = setikartavyatākam according to Nī. on Bom. Ed. 3. 41. 26), its release (samokṣam), and withdrawl (sanivartanam); Arjuna was supposed to perform great deeds with it 3. 42. 23-24; 3. 89. 12; 4. 56. 14; 7. 53. 43; 12. 5. 13; Yama held it (kāladaṇḍa) when he wished to fight with Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna at the time of the Khāṇḍava fire 1. 218. 31, 37; some people afraid to commit sins due to their fear of Yama's Daṇḍa 12. 15. 5; (a king punishing the unrighteous with daṇḍa (punishment) acts like Yama 12. 68. 45);

C. below); angry Sudhanvan compared with the burning Brahmadaṇḍa 2. 61. 62; Vāsuki, afraid of his mother's curse, confused the directions as though he was tormented by Brahmadaṇḍa 1. 49. 22; Āstīka would destroy the Brahmadaṇḍa (mahāghora) of which Vāsuki was so much afraid 1. 49. 24; serpents, struck by Brahmadaṇḍa, fell into the snake sacrifice of Janamejaya 1. 52. 22; Brahmadaṇḍa mentioned among the missiles which should be known to a king 2. 5. 111; Brahmadaṇḍa and other missiles moved around the chariot of Śiva (pariskandāḥ) to guard it in all directions 8. 24. 79;

(6) of Rudra: Rudradaṇḍa among those missiles which moved round the chariot of Śiva (pariskandāḥ) to guard it in all directions 8. 24. 29.

C. Comparisons: Missiles like arrows, gadā, śakti, or even a tree or a stick used as a powerful weapon, compared with the daṇḍa (Yamadaṇḍa, Antakadaṇḍa, Mṛtyudaṇḍa, Kāladaṇḍa or Brahmadaṇḍa): (a) arrows:

(3) of Duryodhana: Duryodhana with his gadā compared with Antaka holding daṇḍa 9. 31. 39; Duryodhana with his gadā in hand cannot be killed even by Kāla armed with his Daṇḍa (kālenāpīha daṇḍinā) 9. 60. 60;

(1) the tree held by Bhīma compared with the Daṇḍa of Yama (Pitṛrāja) 1. 180. 16 (ugra); the tree of Bhīma to fight with Kirmīra compared with Yamadaṇḍa 3. 12. 43; Bhīma with tree in hand compared with Antaka holding his Daṇḍa 4. 22. 19;

(2) the tree of Kirmīra compared with the Daṇḍa of Yama (not named) 3. 12. 46;

A. Creation: Indra got heavy Daṇḍas made (kārayām āsa…gurudaṃḍāṁś ca puṣkatān), and other heavenly missiles (like vajrāṇi and cakrāṇi) out of the bones of the sage Dadhīca 9. 50. 30; Śiva is called the creator of the Brahmadaṇḍa (brahmadaṇḍavinirmātā) 13. 17. 130.

B. Associations:

(1) It was looked upon as a weapon specially of Yama (cf. the expression Yamadaṇḍa in section

C. below); hence Yama called ‘holding daṇḍa in hand’ (daṇḍapāṇi) 3. 12. 46; 3. 42. 10; (daṇḍahasta) 8. 29. 28 (Vaivasvata); (daṇḍadhāra) 3. 40. 38; or ‘equipped with Daṇḍa’ (daṇḍin) 1. 180. 16; it was Yama who gave his irresistible (aprativāraṇa) Daṇḍa to Arjuna with proper rites (vidhivat), together with the mantras (samantram), and instruction regarding its full operation (sopacāram = setikartavyatākam according to Nī. on Bom. Ed. 3. 41. 26), its release (samokṣam), and withdrawl (sanivartanam); Arjuna was supposed to perform great deeds with it 3. 42. 23-24; 3. 89. 12; 4. 56. 14; 7. 53. 43; 12. 5. 13; Yama held it (kāladaṇḍa) when he wished to fight with Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna at the time of the Khāṇḍava fire 1. 218. 31, 37; some people afraid to commit sins due to their fear of Yama's Daṇḍa 12. 15. 5; (a king punishing the unrighteous with daṇḍa (punishment) acts like Yama 12. 68. 45);

C. below); angry Sudhanvan compared with the burning Brahmadaṇḍa 2. 61. 62; Vāsuki, afraid of his mother's curse, confused the directions as though he was tormented by Brahmadaṇḍa 1. 49. 22; Āstīka would destroy the Brahmadaṇḍa (mahāghora) of which Vāsuki was so much afraid 1. 49. 24; serpents, struck by Brahmadaṇḍa, fell into the snake sacrifice of Janamejaya 1. 52. 22; Brahmadaṇḍa mentioned among the missiles which should be known to a king 2. 5. 111; Brahmadaṇḍa and other missiles moved around the chariot of Śiva (pariskandāḥ) to guard it in all directions 8. 24. 79;

(6) of Rudra: Rudradaṇḍa among those missiles which moved round the chariot of Śiva (pariskandāḥ) to guard it in all directions 8. 24. 29.

C. Comparisons: Missiles like arrows, gadā, śakti, or even a tree or a stick used as a powerful weapon, compared with the daṇḍa (Yamadaṇḍa, Antakadaṇḍa, Mṛtyudaṇḍa, Kāladaṇḍa or Brahmadaṇḍa): (a) arrows:

(3) of Duryodhana: Duryodhana with his gadā compared with Antaka holding daṇḍa 9. 31. 39; Duryodhana with his gadā in hand cannot be killed even by Kāla armed with his Daṇḍa (kālenāpīha daṇḍinā) 9. 60. 60;

(1) the tree held by Bhīma compared with the Daṇḍa of Yama (Pitṛrāja) 1. 180. 16 (ugra); the tree of Bhīma to fight with Kirmīra compared with Yamadaṇḍa 3. 12. 43; Bhīma with tree in hand compared with Antaka holding his Daṇḍa 4. 22. 19;

(2) the tree of Kirmīra compared with the Daṇḍa of Yama (not named) 3. 12. 46;